the plains

Della Viti, a self-serve wine bar, is coming to 425 East Grand Avenue in the East Village. Customers will put a prepaid smart card into the machine, grab a glass and choose how many ounces of wine they want.

oday, Governor Dennis Daugaard signed direct-to-consumer wine shipping legislation (HB 1001) into law making South Dakota the 43rd state (as well as the District of Columbia) to allow wineries to ship directly to consumers, which was previously prohibited by law. The legislation establishes a wine direct shipper license to be issued by South Dakotas Department of Revenue.

A joint resolution that would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to allow residents here to order wine from wineries and have it shipped directly to their homes has passed in a 6 to 4 vote in committee earlier this month.

Opponents of expanding liquor sales in Kansas painted a picture of stores going out of business and big corporations sweeping up market share during a hearing Thursday, as legislators once again consider changes to the state's alcohol laws

University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor Paul Read remembers a time when only one winery existed in Nebraska, and his passion for viticulture propelled him to start the very first wine and grape growers forum. That was 18 years ago.

Kansas grocery and convenience stores, through the Uncork Kansas alliance, have been pushing for the ability to sell wine, spirits and full-strength beer. Under current law, they're only able to sell 3.2-percent beer.

The 18th annual Nebraska Winery and Grape Growers Forum and Trade Show, sponsored by the University of Nebraska Viticulture Program and the Nebraska Winery and Grape Growers Association, will run March 5 through 7 at the Omaha Marriott. Featured speakers, particularly well known to the Midwest grape and wine industry, will share their advice on everything from growing grapes to marketing wine.

The state currently allows out-of-state wineries, importers, wholesalers or retailers to ship a total of 18 liters of wine to any one household each year. House Bill 47 would double that amount to 36 liters per household each year.